USO Opens New Center at the Seabee Base

As the USO wraps up its 75th year of service to our nation’s military and their families, they celebrate the opening of their new facility at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport.
This new location will give hundreds of service members who live on base a place to connect with loved ones or just kick back and relax.
It can sometimes be difficult for service members who are away from their families for a long time or maybe just getting started in military life and that’s where the USO comes in. Community leaders, service members, and USO representatives were on hand as the ribbon was cut to the brand new facility at the Naval Construction Battalion Center that Captain Cheryl Hansen describes as being located right at the heart of the base. “You really can’t put a value on that in terms of words or even in terms of dollars. I mean this is just one of those things that really means a lot to service members.”
The volunteer run center offers service members a home away from home, giving them a chance to kick back, relax, connect with family members out of state and much more. USO Director Felice Gillum said, “Basically a lounge area, a theater area where they can sit and watch television. We have a snack bar where we’ll be doing dinners where local restaurants and local businesses will be providing lunches and dinners to the service members, as well as ‘Pac-man’ and ‘Galaga’ and air hockey and just much, much more.”
Ultimately adding to the overall readiness, toughness, and resiliency of the troops. “They’re well taken care of. If they have a place where they can go and relax and truly relax and sort of step outside of that stress world then they’re more ready to come back and be so much more productive and efficient and effective at their job,” said Captain Hansen.